Which Washington Commanders robbed the team blind after another extremely disappointing 2023 season for the franchise?
After so much optimism throughout the offseason, it was the same old story for the Washington Commanders in 2023. A promising 2-0 start was swiftly followed by a pathetic run of form that eventually led Ron Rivera to a 4-13 record, a fourth-straight losing season, and his fate all but sealed in terms of being removed from the equation.
Rivera isn't the only one who underachieved over recent months. Players haven't met expectations aside from a few positives. The coaches couldn't develop their squad effectively. When things began spiraling out of control, the blame game officially began.
Big changes are coming. The staffing infrastructure and playing personnel are going to look entirely different in a few months. After two decades of nothing but misery, it's an exciting time for every Commanders fan around the world.
With that being said, here are five Commanders who robbed the team blind in 2023.
Andrew Wylie - Commanders OT
The free-agent signing of Andrew Wylie received mixed reviews from fans and analysts when the move was confirmed. His Super Bowl performance aside, it was an indifferent final campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs. But Eric Bieniemy felt the veteran could assist and provide some edge stability for second-year quarterback Sam Howell.
Sadly, this didn't work out. Wylie was a human turnstile for the most part. His performances improved slightly down the stretch, but it was nowhere near the level those in power expected when they spent decent money to bring him into the organization.
Nick Gates - Commanders OL
There wasn't much money to go around for the Washington Commanders this offseason. What little cash they had didn't get spent all that wisely. We've already discussed Andrew Wylie's inconsistent performance levels throughout the season. Nick Gates is another who failed to meet even modest expectations.
Gates came into the franchise as Washington's new starting center. Chase Roullier was released after suffering significant injury problems. It didn't take long to figure out this move was not going to go as anticipated.
To say Gates struggled over the first half of 2023 would be understating things. His protection and pre-snap communication left a lot to be desired. This left Ron Rivera with no option other than to bench the former Nebraska star in favor of the bigger, more dependable Tyler Larsen.
While Larsen didn't exactly set the world alight either, it improved slightly. Gates got another opportunity from a starting position when his replacement went down through injury. It was a decent enough finish to the campaign, but nowhere near what the Commanders envisaged when they prised him from the New York Giants.
Rivera's failure to prioritize the offensive line was one of the primary catalysts behind his demise. Gates is the latest in a long line of personnel choices that didn't pan out. Something the incoming regime needs to rectify as a matter of urgency.
Daron Payne - Commanders DT
After a Pro Bowl campaign and the finest season of his professional career by a considerable margin, the Washington Commanders made tying down Daron Payne their top offseason priority. They placed the franchise tag on him immediately. This was swiftly followed by a bumper new extension that made him one of the league's highest-paid defensive tackles along the way.
All signs pointed to Payne and the vaunted Commanders' defense taking another significant leap forward in 2023. Sadly for the franchise, these lofty expectations weren't close to being met.
While the secondary needs to take its share of the blame, Washington's failure all started up front. Something that spiraled further when the Commanders opted to trade both Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the deadline.
The formidable interior tandem struggled to make the impact needed. Payne's numbers regressed considerably with extra attention from opposing protection schemes. He struggled to generate consistent pressure and was inconsistent at best against the run.
Perhaps it was a motivation issue with the Commanders going nowhere fast. Perhaps Payne's production last season was centered around the urgency of a contract year. We won't know for sure until he takes the field in 2024 with a salary-cap hit of $21.61 million attached.
Either way, big improvements are a necessity if Payne wants to live up to his mammoth contract.
Martin Mayhew - Commanders GM
While the financial terms of general manager Martin Mayhew's contract were never publicly revealed, it's unlikely to be chump change. The front office figure might not get the final say on personnel decisions - that belonged to Ron Rivera - but his influence behind the scenes was notable throughout another season littered with indifferent roster choices.
The Washington Commanders stagnated in 2023. One could argue it's worse than ever. Not exactly the sign of legitimate progress entering Year 4 of Rivera's head coaching reign and the third with Mayhew overseeing matters away from the gridiron.
At the time of writing, Mayhew is still in his post. That's unlikely to be the case for much longer as Josh Harris' ownership group looks set to hit the reset button in pursuit of improved fortunes. And in truth, he can have no complaints whatsoever.
Changes are guaranteed in the not-too-distant future. Mayhew came into the Commanders with a big reputation despite things not turning out well with the Detroit Lions in the same role. Despite his best efforts, it's been a largely disappointing stint with Washington with no winning record to show for his efforts.
Mayhew might get another job elsewhere. It won't be as a general manager, one suspects, but a lower front office role could be exactly what the doctor ordered given how things transpired in Washington.
Jonathan Allen - Commanders DT
Jonathan Allen's talent is undeniable. He's one of the primary alphas within the Washington Commanders locker room. He was their highest-earning player in 2023 after those in power opted not to restructure his deal before the campaign. This comes with higher expectations than most.
Allen's been a shell of his former self this season. It's a frustrating situation for a player who's experienced nothing but losing throughout his NFL career. These feelings boiled over on countless occasions as another campaign got away from the Commanders en route to a 4-13 record.
The former first-round pick has made no secret of his unhappiness with the current state of affairs. Allen stated a need to take stock and decide what's next. If he concludes that his future lies away from the Commanders, a difficult conversation will then occur between the defensive tackle and the new regime.
There was no sign of Allen thanks to injury for Washington's season-finale against the Dallas Cowboys. Whether it's the last we've seen of him in a Commanders' uniform has yet to be determined. Those in power might also look to trade the Alabama product in pursuit of bolstering their already rich draft assets.
It was a season to forget for Allen. But make no mistake, he wasn't alone in that regard.